Letter to the Editor - Police Department has capable interim candidates

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Editor:

I am writing this letter because I know the four captains at Fort Madison Police Department. Anyone of them would be capable of being interim chief until a replacement is hired.

City Manager Varley was the person who hired Chief Tim Sittig. If any investigations were not handled satisfactory, then Chief Sittig should have been held accountable as well as City Manager Varley. The challenges at FMPD are because of Varley. This is why the city is in this situation. Ultimately, City Manager David Varley is responsible for the recent challenges at the police department that Sheriff Stacey Weber described.

A county attorney with integrity and legal ethics would not have made a public comment regarding problems encountered with investigations, knowing that this could be used in court cases. County Attorney Ross Braden did just that, and it was wrong. 

Sheriff Stacey Weber should have known that the captains at FMPD are not responsible for Chief Sittig’s decisions. Each one of the captains have more years in law enforcement and command experience than Sheriff Weber. 

It is hard to imagine that Sheriff Weber had agreed to have the Sheriff Department oversee the Police Department, knowing that anyone of these captains were capable of being the interim chief. Perhaps Councilman Andrews and Councilman Cangas, the two city councilmen who voted against this arrangement, would be willing to file a complaint with the State of Iowa Ombudsman’s Office about the actions of the county attorney in this matter. 

Rick Shuda
former Fort Madison police officer

fort madison, iowa, letter to the editor, Pen City Current, police, sheriff

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